New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18
LOVE.
THE MAsTER-PAssIoN ANALYzED.

al Pecnarities BY HENRY 7. FNcK. svo. PIP. 500.
Macmillan Co.
This Is an ambitious book and new thing IN
literature. For though there is not topic in it
which has not been the theme OF deep meatation
and the text of philosophlc poetic satirical and
humorous expression no man before MI. rincK
has deliberately sat down to trace the history OF
Love and TO determine ITS causa relations, its
national and racial notifications, and its connection
with and dependence upon personal beauty. In
cidentaly much has been written on these subjects
but Mr. Finck devOtes his whole attention to them,
and following the modern scientific methods or
research and ANALYSIS has produced work which
may fairly be termed unique, and which, whiie
not in all respects safe guide. offers plausible,
wc-reasoned and combined theories on every
branch of the subject 1t brings together as never
before mass of highly interesting opinions and
suggestions on questions which will undoubtedly
continue to be of unequaed interest to the major
ity of the human race SO long as humanity remains
what il is. If, III the remote future. one OF Mt.
Fnck's speculative nilmatiOns, TO the erect tnat
with the perfection of tho race sex may be abol-
ished. or the condition be resumed which obtained
originally according to Platos myth. should be
realized. discussions of the kind will perhaps
cease TO fasclnate the advanced beings who
Will then have supplanted men and women. But
PRED long before SUCH change occurs, and as the
subsequent proceedings" can have no personal
interest for the present possible reader OF his book
neither he nor they need trouble themselves about
the contingency.
The author IS conscientious aud thorough. He
will skip no difficulties, will he evade research
into the origins of things. So he begins with
chemical afinties, proceeds to love among the
ANIMALS, gradually works his way to the amorous
concerns of savages thence gains the plane OF anti
guilty. and So dwelling by the way on the condition
of things during the middle ages comes down to
modera TINES aud that broad hed OF general ex-
perience in which everybody above the age of ten
probably feels capable of passing expert judgment
upon his conclusions 1t is pleasant to follow a
writer who goes to work in so comprehensive and
systematic a way. and especially one who has laid
so broad domain of literature under coDtribu-
ton. HIS references and citations indicate wide
and careful reading Modern science, the classics,
the poets of ALI ages and countries, medieval ana
paristic literature, philosophy, metaphysics, each
and all are made TO pay tribute, and this varied
and abundant material is so well diges'ed and
neatly arranged that it testies to the scho arShip
of the author and does not tas is sometimes the
case IN such work.. mark him a mere helluo IT,
JrorUm. II,
The theory of earlv love to which he finds him.
self drawn by investigation Is that neither roman
tic nor conjugal love had existence at first THIS is
plausible nay, probable, for even among SEMI
civilized races at the present time 1t IS doubnui
whether romantic love is known, and not certain
that the conuGal is well developed CurIousy Mr.
Fircks proofs 60 far toward demonstrating that
love among animals may be deeper and more last
ing than among savage men aud women. The at
tachments of birds. sma-brained creatures rs they
a :... tom Of fan
derness and constancy. while among the mammalia
innumera lie instances can be cited of love al
most passing the love of women" Mr.. Finck
would probably reject that quotation, for he holds
III at the love of woman Is not superior but inferior
to that of man or. to represent him as fairly as
possible he holds that in rOnaDtic love woman is
H. ans inferior. but his superior IN love conlugal
At first sight thus may seem 10 constitute set-oH.
bnt inasmuch as our author regards coniugal love
a. on the whole below the standard of romantic. IL
will be seen that in giving women the ascendency
In the former he is not putting them on level
with men. OF course nnch of this apparent differ
ence is due to Mr. FIncks contention that romantic
aud conugal love are separate groups OF feeling.
and not simply d ilerent states of the same feelings
Romantic love. he maintains. Is epheneral In
both sexes. Marriage Kills It, and so does absence
and so. often does encounter with farer
object The affection which develops after mar
riage is indeed love, but tanner less absorbing
and less deeply rooted feeling or group of feelings.
Mr.. Flnck does not. in judgment. establish
this theory The DISTINCTION drawn by him be-
tween romantic and couugal love seems more fam
CT u than real. II is certainly true that savages
have no knowledge of romantic love, aud equally
true that conjugal love was first developed. But
what is the significance of these factsi Conjugal
love in its earliest stage must have been simply the
growth of altrulstc germs between man and
woman III whom close contact md worn off some Of
the angles of egoism. In other words, practical
experiment required in the first place to stmu
lato sentiments which at a later period were born
of imaginative excitement The primary lessons
were physical rather than mental, in short; but
surely the sentiments evolved fdnda-
mentally one with the romantic love Of a higher
civilization. Mr. Finck. moreover while giving the
first position to romantic love. unconsciously DEM
onstrates the superior excellence of conjugal love-
His ny pothesis requires the subordination Of the
latter to the former, but his conclusions do not
support him here. love which is so feeble, I'M
stable and evanescent as his romantic love has no
right TO take precedence of that steady. unquench-
able affection which follows marriage under favor
ing conditions and which in its pictures of mutual
sacrifice forbearance. support and abnegation af-
furds mankind the noblest and most eevating ex-
amples The romantic love which depends,
according to this author. mainly upon glamor and
Illusion; which compels reason to abdIcate:
which creates a FOOLS Paradise of its own which
feeds upon the widest suggestions: which Is In all
things fanta stc wild, ntolerant of interference
OF sober considerations how can this volcanic,
fierce. ephemeral passion be considered product
of higher development than coniugal lovei
But see how easily contradictions may be recon-
ciled by changing Mr. Fincks nomenclature q
little. 1t is only necessary to assume romantic
and conjugal love to be different phases of the
same kind of feeling and harmony is restored.
Romantic love then becomes the natural manifesto
ton of that exuberant vitality which cbaracterizes
youth. So. indeed, the poets have always regarded
and treated it. and their analysis. however in
tuitive is in these matters never to be despised.
Aud what is the advantage. to the scientific
analyst, of dfferentating romantic from conjugal
lovef We perceive none, unless the opportunity OF
introducing some of the cynical remarks of pcs
smists and WON an -haters be onsidpred Love